Discovering the Best Select and Speak - Text to Speech Alternatives
Select and Speak - Text to Speech is a popular Chrome extension known for its ability to read selected text aloud using iSpeech's human-quality voices. It offers a good range of languages and customisation options for voice and speed. However, for users seeking different features, more platform flexibility, or open-source options, exploring Select and Speak - Text to Speech alternatives is essential. This guide will help you find the perfect text-to-speech solution for your needs.
Top Select and Speak - Text to Speech Alternatives
Whether you're looking for advanced features, specific platform compatibility, or a completely free solution, there's a text-to-speech application out there that can meet your requirements. Let's dive into some of the best alternatives available.
Balabolka
Balabolka is a free Windows and PortableApps.com utility that stands out as a robust Select and Speak - Text to Speech alternative. It can read text from various document formats and export the audio to multiple formats, offering greater versatility for offline use. Key features include text-to-speech functionality, Android sync, audio recording, portability, and a convenient tabbed interface.
eSpeak
eSpeak is an excellent open-source Select and Speak - Text to Speech alternative available for Mac, Windows, and Linux. This compact speech synthesizer uses a "formant synthesis" method and supports English and various other languages. Its notable features include text-to-speech capabilities and spell-checking, making it a powerful and free option for diverse users.
Simple TTS Reader
Simple TTS Reader is a straightforward and free Windows application that serves as a great Select and Speak - Text to Speech alternative, especially for quick reads. It functions as a small clipboard reader, allowing you to simply copy any text to have it read aloud. You can choose any installed speech engine, such as Microsoft Anna, for a seamless experience.
NaturalReader
NaturalReader offers a Freemium model and is available on Mac, Windows, and Web, making it a highly accessible Select and Speak - Text to Speech alternative. Its main feature is its ability to read various text files, including MS Word files, MS Internet Explorer webpages, Adobe PDF files, and emails. It's a versatile solution for converting diverse content into speech.
TextAloud
TextAloud is a commercial Windows software developed by NextUp.com that provides an excellent Select and Speak - Text to Speech alternative. It allows your computer to speak using AT&T Natural Voices and can be integrated into various workflows. A key feature is its core text-to-speech functionality, providing high-quality audio output.
Read Aloud - Browser Extension
Read Aloud is a free and open-source browser extension available for Chrome and Firefox, making it a direct competitor and effective Select and Speak - Text to Speech alternative for web browsing. It allows users to select text from the screen and have it read aloud, supporting different languages and offering customizable settings for speed and pitch.
ReadSpeaker
ReadSpeaker is a commercial, web-based Select and Speak - Text to Speech alternative also available on Android, iPhone, Blackberry, and iPad. It specializes in speech-enabling websites, mobile apps, online documents, and forms, allowing visitors to listen to content. Its key features include its API, robust text-to-speech engine, and web-based accessibility.
Central Access Reader
Central Access Reader (CAR) is a free and open-source Windows application that serves as a beneficial Select and Speak - Text to Speech alternative, particularly for academic use. It's designed to read .docx files and pasted text using the voices installed on your PC, focusing on accessibility for educational purposes.
Voice Dream Reader
Voice Dream Reader is a commercial, feature-rich mobile TTS reader available for iPhone and iPad, making it a premium Select and Speak - Text to Speech alternative for iOS users. All its features are fully accessible with VoiceOver, and it boasts extensive integrations with services like Dropbox, Evernote, Google Drive, Instapaper, and Pocket, supporting multiple languages and including an integrated web browser.
Loquendo TTS
Loquendo TTS is a commercial Windows software that provides a sophisticated Select and Speak - Text to Speech alternative. It delivers truly natural-sounding voices capable of reading dynamic data and prompts in various environments, including server-based, multimedia, and embedded systems. Its robust features include support for multiple languages (like French and German), advanced speech recognition, and high-quality text-to-speech output.
With a wide array of options available, from open-source tools to powerful commercial applications, you can definitely find a text-to-speech solution that perfectly aligns with your specific requirements. We encourage you to explore these Select and Speak - Text to Speech alternatives to find the best fit for your workflow and enhance your accessibility experience.